News News of Radio Prague

CSA pilots to go on strike from Tuesday morning

The majority of the 350 pilots at Czech Airlines (CSA) are to go on strike from 4 am next Tuesday, the head of the pilots' trade union, Radomil Kratochvil, said on Wednesday. The pilots are demanding better wages and improved contracts. For their part, management at the Czech national carrier have said they will not give in to the pilots' demands. Ground staff at the airline are to decide on Monday whether to also go on strike.

Explosive device found on railway line in east Bohemia

An explosive device was found on a railway line in the east Bohemian town of Pardubice on Tuesday, police said on Wednesday. The explosive was buried by the tracks and there was evidence that the tracks had been cut. The officer in charge of investigating the discovery said the police were trying to establish whether there was any connection with similar cases in the last six months.

Trial of publisher of "Mein Kampf" disrupted by far-right extremist

The trial of the publisher of the Czech edition of Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf" was disrupted by a far-right activist on Wednesday. Extremist Jan Kopal held up a sign insulting the judge at the Prague 1 District Court and saying the Czech court system was still full of "Bolsheviks". The publisher of "Mein Kampf", Michal Zitko, says the book is a valid historical document.

Tree nursery loses case against Spolana chemical plant

A tree nursery has lost its case for damages against the Spolana chemical plant in Neratovice, central Bohemia. The Knizeci dvur nursery brought the case after a chlorine leak from the chemical factory in 2000, saying it had caused almost 35 million crowns worth of damage to its trees. The judge said the nursery had failed to prove a link between the chlorine spill and the damage. Spolana made the headlines last year when dangerous chemicals leaked from the plant after August's floods.

Czech Telecom begins operating on German market

Czech Telecom has begun operating on the German telecommunications market, a spokesperson said on Wednesday. The company will offer its services - via a subsidiary in Germany - to local and international operators, mobile operators and Internet providers. Czech Telecom was granted a licence to provide telecoms services in Germany in April.

Three die in Prague house fire

A two-year-old child and two adults of 25 died in a fire in the Prague district of Sporilov on Tuesday night. The fire broke out after an explosion at the family's house, a spokesman for the fire service said on Wednesday.

Weather

Thursday should be another hot day here in the Czech Republic, with sunshine and temperatures of up to 32 degrees Celsius expected.